Cub Scout registration charts new adventures for children

Cub Scout Pack 805 in Windham is hosting a registration
night at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19 at Windham Middle School
for new scouts and parents looking to become pack 
volunteers. COURTESY PHOTO
 

By Ed Pierce 

The Cub Scout experience is about children and families doing fun things together and helping boys and girls in kindergarten to Grade 5 to become their best future selves.

Now that school has resumed after the summer break, Windham’s Cub Scout Pack 805 is welcoming new scouts and new parents looking to become pack volunteers. On Monday, Sept. 19, Pack 805 will conduct a registration night at 6 p.m. at Windham Middle School. At the registration event, older scouts will be presenting fun activities to keep the scouts entertained while the pack leaders talk with parents of both returning and interested scouts.

“Scouting teaches kids positive character traits, helps foster relationships, and to be part of the community,” said Windham Pack 805 Weblos Den Leader Casey Melanson.

According to Melanson, the dens meet once a week and then the entire Pack 805 meets once a month for a special meeting, like a Halloween party, holiday dinner, Pinewood Derby, or other events.

“Pack 805’s dues are just $100 for the year per scout,” she said. “Of that, almost all goes to national registrations, insurance, and other expenses. The Pack conducts fundraising throughout the year to offset the costs of awards and activities.”

She said Windham parents should consider having their children join Cub Scouts because it helps them to work on self-growth, and to try new things. 

“The scout motto is ‘Do Your Best’ and that’s what the kids learn.” Melanson said.

Joining the Cub Scouts is the first step in a journey to become responsible citizens who care about their neighbors and the community.

“We want our scouts to learn what it means to be part of something important, what it means to help their community, make new friends, build relationships, and to have fun,” Melanson said.

Pack 805 currently has more than three dozen scouts who volunteer to work on several community projects every year.

You’ll find Cub Scouts picking up trash after Windham Summerfest or hosting a toy collection drive for a family for Christmas,” Melanson said. “We also participate in Scouting for Food each November to collect needed goods for the Windham Food Pantry.”

Melanson said that Cub Scout uniforms consist of a shirt, a rank neckerchief, and a rank slide. Pants and rank hats are optional. Scouts are encouraged to have a belt (not necessarily a scout belt) to be able to display their beltloop achievements.

Each Cub Scout is issued a handbook for each rank so that the scout will need to be able to learn, perform, and complete each achievement and scout activities emphasize having fun and learning useful life skills.

“Cub Scouts can do anything they put their minds to. We have gone winter camping, hiking, ice fishing, and built lean-tos in the winter woods,” Melanson said. “We also have our annual Pinewood Derby where the boys design and build their own cars and then compete against one another. As a pack we have had beach outings, cookouts, movie nights, and EVO Rock Gym overnights.”

Cub Scout activities and adventures are centered around earning merit badges that are specific to each school grade level. Each badge represents a rank and advancement refers to the progress a Cub Scout makes toward their badge of rank.

For Pack 805’s registration night on Sept. 19, the registration effort will be staffed by Pack 805 leaders who can answer any questions that parents of children interested in participating in scouting may have.

“If someone has a new potential scout who is interested, they may come with the parent,” Melanson said. “If someone is interested in joining but is unable to make the registration event, they can reach out to us through Facebook or email.”

For more information about Cub Scout Pack 805, visit their Pack 805 Windham Maine Facebook page or send an email to scoutpack805me@gmail.com <